Falcons Place A.J. Terrell Jr. on IR, Turning a Bad Start Into a Defensive Crisis
The Atlanta Falcons have placed star cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. on injured reserve following a groin injury, leaving a struggling 0-2 team with major questions in the secondary.
HotTakes Editorial TeamUpdated 1 min read
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The Atlanta Falcons just placed their top cornerback, A.J. Terrell Jr., on injured reserve, officially turning a bad start to the season into a full-blown defensive crisis. Adam Schefter broke the news, confirming what everyone who watched Terrell grab his midsection against the Carolina Panthers already knew.
Terrell went down in the first quarter of Week 2 while trying to cover Tetairoa McMillan. He was initially checked for a concussion in the blue tent, cleared that, but was ruled out with a groin injury. Now, he is sidelined for at least four weeks, leaving the Atlanta secondary looking like a preseason depth chart.
"Adam Schefter reported the Falcons placed CB A.J. Terrell Jr. on injured reserve."
This is a brutal blow for a guy who has been the anchor of this defense. Terrell is a seventh-year veteran and a former All-Pro who racked up 43 passes defensed over his first four seasons. He was already playing through a shoulder issue from Week 1 after wrestling with Pittsburgh Steelers receiver DK Metcalf, which means his body basically threw in the towel by Week 2.
The Falcons are sitting at 0-2 after getting completely dismantled 34-3 by Carolina. Losing your best cover corner when you are already giving up 34 points to a division rival is like finding a hole in your lifeboat while you are already actively sinking.
From a betting perspective, losing an elite corner does not swing the point spread quite like a quarterback injury, but it absolutely forces sportsbooks to adjust the totals. When a defense has to rely on a rotation of Avieon Terrell, Mike Hughes, and CJ Henderson to stop top-tier receivers, the over suddenly looks a lot more appealing to the public.
Atlanta now has to figure out how to patch this leaky secondary before a brutal road trip. They head to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers next, and unless this backup unit figures out how to cover NFL receivers overnight, it is going to be a very long flight home.
Key stats
Key statsTerrell recorded 43 passes defensed from 2020-23.
The Falcons lost to the Panthers 34-3 in Week 2.
Atlanta is currently 0-2 on the season.
What's next
The Falcons face the Green Bay Packers on the road next, testing their depleted secondary.
